Shards of Memories
by The Pure-Blood Prince
Summary: In his seventh year, Harry will uncover the memories that will lead him unmask R.A.B., retrieve the Horcruxes, and to finally destroy the Dark Lord. All questions from the sixth book are answered! Full Summary inside!
1. Chapter 1: The Dark Lord's Lair

**_ THE SHARDS OF MEMORIES_ **

_After the demise of Dumbledore at the hands of the Half-Blood Prince, Harry nevertheless returns to Hogwarts to finish his seventh and final year. There, he will discover the secrets of the Shards of Memories, the mystical objects that will enable him to enter the Realm of Memories, where he can finally unmask the man who calls himself R.A.B., and find the missing Horcruxes that will allow him to destroy the Dark Lord once and for all. On the way he will also finally unravel the mysteries and terrors of Dumbledore's past, and seek the guidance of the man who was once Dumbledore's childhood archenemy – the man who had become the former Dark Lord – and learn of the shocking and horrific truth of the unknown Horcrux. _

CHAPTER ONE: THE DARK LORD'S LAIR

The Dark Lord was getting impatient. His newest servant had failed to kill Dumbledore, though nevertheless the task had been accomplished in the end. Voldemort paced around the room of his own undetectable fortress, waiting for one of his faithful Death Eaters. At last, a hooded man in black robes appeared in front Voldemort, bowing.

"You wished to see me, my Lord?" asked the hooded man.

"Snape,I must discuss with you the issue of my newest servant, Lucius Malfoy's son." Voldemort replied, "He did not carry out the task as I had instructed him to." Voldemort replied.

"But I saw to it myself that it was indeed carried out in the end. Your intentions were, of course, to kill Albus Dumbledore." Snape answered.

"Yes, the task was indeed done. But the child had hesitated too long, showing weakness in front of Dumbledore, which stopped him from being able to carry out the murder."

"But what difference does that make, my Lord?" Snape asked.

"Use you brains!" Voldemort hissed. "The boy showing weakness is a sure sign that he is slowly rejecting the Dark Side. He still has good in him; a trait that I do not find welcoming in my Death Eaters. Many times he had failed to construct a portal into Hogwarts, and during those times he has regretted ever helping our cause!"

"But surely-" Snape began, but the Dark Lord cut him off.

"I have to make sure that he does not slip up again! Or else I will have to murder him."

"Murder him? But surely there can be another way!" Snape exclaimed.

"Ah yes… I forgot; you are very protective of the boy?" Voldemort sneered, "Now why would you care more about him then of our organization, I wonder…"

Snape looked directly into the Dark Lord's slit-like eyes, concentrating on blocking the details of his concern from Voldemort's powers of Legilimency. "I… don't…." Snape muttered, not taking his eyes off of the Dark Lord's and still concentrating on Occlumency. He had been able to lie to the Dark Lord without detection many times before.

"Very well then…" Voldemort said. "You must now infuse Draco with the darkness, to fully submerge him into the power of evil. Teach him the Darkashian Arts, for I can see much evil potential in him if he can control it. And keep watch on him. You are now dismissed to do your task." He waved one of his pale, spider-like hands and Snape swept away from the room.

Snape descended the many staircases of the lair and entered the room of Draco Malfoy. Draco was already awake. When he saw Snape enter his room he immediately snarled, "Now what? How much longer do I have to stay in this place, I want to go back to my Manor!"

"Hold your tongue, lest the Dark Lord silence it forever!" Snape barked. "You have an important task, and now we shall fully infuse you with the powers of darkness!"

"I already have the Dark Mark, I'm already a Death Eater, what more do I need?"

"You further need the power of the Darkashian Arts."

"What the hell are Darkashian Arts?" Malfoy sneered.

"Manners, Malfoy, and be careful while in the lair of the Dark Lord!" Snape barked again.

"You don't have to be so protective, I can take care of myself now, I'm almost of age!"

"Which makes it time that you learn of the Arts." Snape said.

"And can I please know what these Arts are?" Malfoy asked rudely.

"The Darkashian Arts are an obscure branch of ancient Dark magic that are extremely powerful. They were once specialized by the Dark Lord, and he feels that you should now learn them too."

"So they'll make me stronger? Fine then, teach me them."

"All you need is the power of darkness to become infused with you. All the rest you will then have an innate sense of…"

Snape drew a circle around Malfoy with his wand. Malfoy felt icy coldness run up his spine as a shadowy aura surrounded him.

"Let go of all good intentions… let the anger that I know you possess be controlled by you and shape the anger into total darkness… embrace yourself with the evil darkness and beg it to empower you. Thus you shall have true power!" Snape said soothingly, as Malfoy's eyes rolled up and felt darkness seep through his skin. He wanted to have ultimate power, and that want helped him to mold his anger into power, his heart turned cold with darkness.

"_Darshika Valaeizakha Horath Ethicomah!_" said Snape, slashing his wand back and forth while the aura around Draco grew darker and darker. Finally, the aura faded, and Draco completed his infusion of darkness. He blew away the pale-blonde hair in his face and felt the thrilling sensation of true power seep through his veins. He looked into the mirror in the room and saw his own reflection. His eyes now had a distinct blackness in them.

"Excellent," breathed Snape, surveying the now powerful boy standing before him. "The darkness in you can never be removed now, but you wouldn't want it removed anyways, am I correct?"

"Yeah, I never knew such power existed," said Draco, "So what do I do now?"

"You will have new spells at your disposal now… and then you will be able to kill Harry Potter!" Snape said. "But before that time comes you have another mission…"


	2. Chapter 2: Back to Hogwarts

**Disclaimer:** **I don't own the Harry Potter series, or any of the characteror objects from the books, except the ones that I made up myself. If I did own the Harry Potter series, then I'd be making millions every year! ;-)**

** CHAPTER TWO: BACK TO HOGWARTS**

"Happy Birthday, Harry!" Mrs. Weasly said, giving Harry his present. Harry opened it, and saw a very expensive lookinggold-plated celestial watch.

"Wow, thanks Mrs. Weasly, but…"

"Oh, it's okay, Fred and George are bringing home some of their fortunes, so don't worry about how much it costs. Besides, you're of age! You're an adult in the wizarding world!" she said proudly.

Harry opened up the rests of the gifts he had received. From Ron he got a gold chain that looked suspiciously like the one that Lavender gave to Ron last year, only with the part with "My Sweetheart" severed off with a Diffindo spell. He opened up the rest of the presents; Hermione had given him a book titled "A Guide to Non-Verbal Spells."

It was already July 31st. Over a month ago Hogwarts had let out early due to the demise of their headmaster. Harry had to return one last time to the Dursleys, but only for a day and this time he was accompanied by Ron and Hermione.

When Harry was about leave the Dursleys house at the end of the day, Aunt Petunia had emerged carrying an envelope and a necklace.

"Since you're not coming back anymore, you should have these. They came with you when you first arrived here sixteen years ago," she had said. "This is the letter that explained why you were here, and that necklace… I don't really know, but I think your mother used to wear it…" she gestured to the necklace, which looked nothing more than a black piece of string attached with what looked like a broken piece of glass.

"Well, 'bye then," Harry said, turning to leave.

Petunia pursed her lips and muttered, "Good-bye" ever so quietly. Vernon and Dudley had also showed up to see Harry leave.

Harry jumped down the stairs and ran into the night, Ron and Hermione hurrying in his wake. He was _free_.

"Hey Harry, slow down and tell us what that letter says!" asked Ron.

Harry paused under a streetlight and read out,

"Dear Mrs. Petunia Evans Dursley,

It is with great sorrow that I must inform you that your sister Lily and her husband James have been murdered by the Dark wizard Voldemort. I assume that you are already aware of our world, and so know the significance of the deaths of the Potters. They leave behind their son Harry, who is now parentless. The Dark wizard Voldemort will seek to kill Harry again one day, and for his protection I have placed an ancient and powerful magic upon him to ensure his safety in relation's care. He now looks to you as his last relative, and all I ask is that you take him in and treat him as if he were your own, and that you allow him to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry when he turns eleven. He will begin to show signs of magic before that time even; please do not be alarmed, for the academy stated above can help him to control his abilities.

He will turn of age when he is seventeen, and so he will be able to go out into the wizarding world by himself. When that time comes, please give him the attached necklace as he goes for final year at Hogwarts academy, where he will learn of its power. Please honor the above statements and treat Harry like your own until he is of age.

Yours Sincerely,

Albus Dumbledore."

Harry, Ron, and Hermione had done a Double-Side-Along Apparition with Hermione to the entrance of the Burrow, where they spent the rest of their holidays. And now we go back to the present.

"Harry, Ron, Ginny, Hermione!" Mrs. Weasly called the fortnight after Harry's birthday. "Hogwarts letters have arrived!"

"What?" Harry exclaimed, "but I thought it shut down!"

"No, McGonagall managed to convince many people and the school board of governors to allow Hogwarts to remain open. She convinced them that Hogwarts was safest for their kids, and now they have even more Aurors to protect you all." Mrs. Weasly explained. "And as this is your final year for you three, you'll be taking N.E.W.T.'s. Now I'll go to Diagon Alley and buy you your books."

"But I'm not going back there!" Harry said.

"You would rather stay at Grimmauld Place for a year?" asked Hermione, "you need protection now that you're no longer with the Dursleys. I'd rather take Hogwarts than go back to the Black House."

"And besides, Dumbledore wants to see you!" Ron said excitedly, reading Harry's letter. "His portrait, I mean. And blimey… they've made you Head Boy!"

A shiny Head Boy's badge fell out of the envelope. Hermione found a Head Girl's badge in her envelope.

"Congratulations, Harry!" Mrs. Weasly beamed, "Now are you convinced to return to Hogwarts?"

Harry had no choice. If Dumbledore wanted to see him, then Harry would have a lot of questions to ask. "Okay then…" he mumbled.

Ginny had her O.W.L. results – she had received five "Outstandings," two "Exceeds Expectations," and two "Acceptables." Mrs. Weasly hugged Ginny and said, "Nine O.W.L.s! That's more than Ron!"

The rest of the holidays passed without much ado, with the exception of Fleur and Bill's wedding and their Apparation tests. After coming out of the Ministry of Magic with his Apparation license, he was now allowed to Apparate legally. He and Ron spent the rest of the holidays Apparating and playing Quidditch. Before he knew it, Harry was back on the train to Hogwarts, the fake locket Horcrux clutched tightly in his hand and the mysterious necklace around his neck.

"C'mon, Harry, you have Head Boy duties," said Ron. They mainly patrolled around the compartments, making sure everything was fine. Harry was surprised that most of the students were returning; the only missing person was Malfoy. Crabbe and Goyle were now wandering around dully with confused expressions on their faces.

Especially surprising was Neville. He had lost his plump face and pudginess; he was now taller and more muscular.

"Wow, Neville, what did you do to your arms?" Ron gasped.

"I just did some handstand push-ups and some weight training. Plus, the _mimbulus mimbletonia_ turned out to be able to produce a Strengthening Solution, so it helped me work out without getting tired!"

"Cool," Harry said, grinning, "Muggles do that, too. But they use these things called steroids. Neville seemed to be much more confident now and was showing powerful potential. They sat down and chatted while the train made its way to Hogwarts.

Hogwarts was still as it was for all these years. After settling down in the Great Hall and cheering as the new students were Sorted, They looked up at the staff table. There was an old lady of whom Harry did not know, and a black man with a baldhead that he instantly recognized as Kingsley Shaklebolt.

"It's Kingsley!" Ron hissed. "He must be the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher!"

"Who is that old lady then?" Harry asked.

"She must be the new Transfiguration teacher, I think," Hermione said. "I think McGonagall's going to be too busy this year with her Headmistress duties to teach her class."

After they were done eating, McGonagall stood up. "Welcome, to another year at Hogwarts!" she said. "Now, we all know of the tragedy that occurred here last year, when Albus Dumbledore was murdered. However, I wish that you take heart and heed his wise words: 'We must be united and strong, never divided lest we all fall.' We shall make sure that this incidence never happen again!"

McGonagall cleared her throat and continued on, "Now, to ensure safety, we have hired more professionally trained Aurors to our side. Two Aurors have also joined our staff. May I please introduce our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Kingsley Shacklebolt!"

Harry clapped hard with Ron and Hermione, and some people who heard of Kingsley before.

"And I am sorry to say that with my new duties as Headmistress I must resign my old post of Transfiguration. I am pleased to announce that the post will be filled by Nymphadora Tonks!" McGonagall said.

"Tonks!" Harry, Ron, and Hermione said in unison. The old lady that Harry had seen changed her apperance back to the young witch with the heart-shaped face and spiked pink hair. There were murmurings in the Great Hall before it broke into applause once again.

"Please remember that the Forbidden Forest lives up to its name; it is forbidden to go inside it. And please remember to follow our new Head Boy and Girl, as well as heeding the list of items that are not allowed here, which can be viewed in Mr. Filch's office. And now you may all go to bed."

After leading the new students into their Common Rooms, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were pulled aside by McGonagall.

She spoke to them in a very low voice. "Come to my office tomorrow, the three of you. Dumbledore wishes to see you."

And with that she swept away, leaving the trio to ponder what was going to happen the next day. As Harry laid on his bed, he remembered the necklace with the piece of broken glass and wondered what was so special about it.


End file.
